U.S. Government Purchase of Russian Helicopters for Afghan Air Force-Truth!

U.S. Government Purchase of Russian Helicopters for Afghan Air Force-Truth!

Summary of eRumor:

This is a forwarded email that alleges that the U.S. Government is planning to purchase Russian helicopters for the Afghan Air Force at a cost of $700 million.The Truth:

Members of Congress have criticized the U.S. Government for planning to purchase 10 Russian Mi-17 helicopters “for the Afghan National Army Air Corps, after the Pentagon already spent $648 million to buy or refurbish 31 of the aircraft.” This according to a June 19, 2010 article by Fox News.

The article said the reason for the decision by the U.S. Government not to equip the Afghan Air Force with U.S. made helicopters is because the Afghan pilots “were not trained to fly American-built helicopters.” The chief of Afghanistan’s air corps, General Mohammed Dawran, said that the learning curve would be too great as “most of the pilots were in their 40s and set in their ways.”

Posted 06/22/13

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Does anyone remember Barack Obama’s great promise of the campaign of 2012? He did not make a promise to America nor to Americans. He did not make a promise to fellow politicians. Unlike so many of his promises, he is keeping this one. His promise was to Vladimir Putin of Russia. What is Obama doing to keep his promise to Putin? Everyone remembers the hot mike incident in 2012 when Barack Obama pleaded with Russian President Dmitri Medvedyev to give him time until the election. After the election, he promised Vladimir Putin, through Medvedyev, he would be more “flexible.” Now we have seen this flexibility.

Barack Obama is going to spend almost $700 million dollars of taxpayer money to buy Russian helicopters for the Afghan Air Force. But wait. Just like those TV commercials, this gets better. When Congress passed the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, it had an interesting provision. Congress included, as a part of that law a prohibition on the United States buying helicopters from Rosoboronexport, the Russian manufacturer of the Mi-17 helicopter.

Unfortunately as always happens, when such laws are passed, Congress always gives the Regime an escape hatch. The law stated that Obama could buy from Rosoboronexport if the Secretary of Defense certified it was in the interest of National Security. And of course, the Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, a man committed to destroying the US military immediately signed off on that certification. Where do we even start with this one?
Congress is outraged over this with Senators and Representatives from both parties writing letters about this. Of course, this is Congress’ fault for allowing a law to be written with such an escape hatch. More importantly, Americans need to be asking just what the hell the Obama Regime is doing.

Why are we spending $700 million dollars with a Russian arms manufacturer? Why are we even giving the Afghans these helicopters?

If we are going to give them helicopters, which we really shouldn’t, then why not give them American made helicopters and put Americans to work?

Even if we are going to give the Afghans Russian helicopters, the ones we are giving them are an old Cold War design. There are hundreds of used MI-17 helicopters floating around the world. Why are we paying to give the Afghans brand new helicopters?

In the era of the Sequester, isn’t there something better we can do with $700 million? American Medicare cancer patients are being turned away from hospitals and are being denied life saving treatment because of budget cuts. The American military is being gutted to the point of ineffectiveness because of budget cuts.

Or consider this. The United States Air Force is grounding 17 squadrons because of $591 million dollars in budget cuts. Our Air Force is not able to do its mission because it lacks the money to fly but we have the money to give Afghanistan $700 million dollars in Russian helicopters.

And this is where Barack Obama thinks we should spend our money? Most people reading this story will not have heard about it. Why?

Because the Obama Propaganda Media is moving in lock step to make sure there is no bad news that might damage Obama’s presidency.

This is a story that should damage him and outrage every American.

Ask your Senator or Congressman why this outrage is being allowed and take a moment to share this story with your friends.

The only way we will ever stop Obama is if the American people know what he is doing.